Pin and tab locking device for clothing and the like

ABSTRACT

A COMPACT LOCKING UNIT IS PROVIDED WHOSE HOUSING IS ADAPTED TO REMOVABLY-RECEIVE A LATCH PIN OR KEP PLUG AND A KEY TAB. THE KEY TAB IS RETAINED IN A LOCKED RELATION WITHIN THE HOUSING AS LONG AS THE KEY PLUG IS IN A REMOVED OR OUTER POSITION, AND THE LATCH PLUG IS RETAINED IN A LOCKED AND COAT OR OTHER ARTICLE-RETAINING POSITION THROUGH THE AGENCY OF A CHAIN CONNECTION TO THE UNIT AS LONG AS THE KEY TAB IS REMOVED AND UTIL IT IS AGAIN INSERTED IN THE HOUSING. WHEN THE KEY TAB AND THE KEY PLUG ARE IN POSITION IN THE HOUSING, THE KEY PLUG MAY BE REMOVED THEREFROM BY PUSHING-IN A SPRING-PRESSED MANUAL BUTTON. THE KEY TAB MAY BE REMOVED WHEN THE KEY PLUG IS IN POSITION BY MERELY LIFTING IT OUT OF THE HOUSING. IT IS NECESSARY TO USE A KEY TAB HAVING REQUISITE ALIGNED OPENINGS THERETHROUGH CORRESPONDING TO THOSE IN A BACK OPERATING PLATE   MEMBER FOR THE HOUSING, THE LATCHING OF THE PLUG IS ACCOMPLISHED BY MEANS OF A REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION THEREOF BEING ENGAGED BY A PROJECTING WING PORTION OF A CENTRALLY-DISPOSED OPERATING PARTITION MEMBER WITHIN THE HOUSING. TO RELEASE THE PLUG, IT IS NECESSARY TO MOVE THE WING PORTION BACKWARDLY OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION, AND THIS CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INTRODUCING THE KEY TAB IN A POSITION SUCH THAT IT, IN EFFECT, SERVES AS A POSITIOIN SUPPORT BACKING FOR THE PARTITION MEMBER, WHILE PERMITTING BACKWARDLYEXTENDING PINS CARRIED BY SUCH OPERATING MEMBER TO MOVE IN ALIGNMENT WITH HOLES IN THE KEY TAB AND THE BACK OPERATING PLATE MEMBER. LOCKED AND COAT OR OTHER ARTICLE-RETAINING POSITION THROUGH THE AGENCY OF A CHAIN CONNECTION TO THE UNIT AS LONG AS THE KEY IS REMOVED AND UNTIL IT IS AGAIN INSERTED IN THE HOUSING. WHEN THE KEY TAB AND THE KEY PLUG ARE IN POSITION IN THE HOUSING, THE KEY PLUG MAY BE REMOVED THEREFROM BY PUSHING-IN A SPRING-PRESSED MANUAL BUTTON. THE KEY TAB MAY BE REMOVED WHEN THE KEY PLUG IS IN POSITION BY MERELY LIFTING IT OUT OF THE HOUSING. IT IS NECESSARY TO USE A KEY TAB HAVING REQUISITE ALIGNED OPENINGS THERETHROUGH CORRESPONDING TO THOSE IN A BACK OPERATE PLATE   MEMBER FOR THE HOUSING. THE LATCHING OF THE PLUG IS ACCOMPLISHED BY MEANS OF A REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION THEREOF BEING ENGAGED BY A PROJECTING WING PORTION OF A CENTRALLY-DISPOSED OPERATING PARTITION MEMBER WITHIN THE HOUSING. TO RELEASE THE PLUG, IT IS NECESSARY TO MOVE THE WING PORTION BACKWARDLY OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITHIN THE REDUCED DIAMETER PORTION, AND THIS CANNOT BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHOUT INTRODUCING THE KEY TAB IN A POSITION SUCH THAT IT, IN EFFECT, SERVES AS A POSITION SUPPORT BACKING FOR THE PARITION MEMBER, WHILE PERMITTING BACKWARDLYEXTENDING PINS CARRIED BY SUCH OPERATING MEMBER TO MOVE IN ALIGNMENT WITH HOLES IN THE KEY TAB AND THE BACK OPERATING PLATE MEMBER.

L. S. FLECK ET AL March 9, 1971 PIN AND TAB LOCKING DEVICE FOR CLOTHING AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 5, 1969 3 SheetsShect .1.

I I I l Fig. 7

F/'g.5 Fl'g /N VEN TORS. Louis S. Fleck Thomas H. .Sprah Byu, fr

THE lf? A T TORNEYS March 9, 1971 s FLECK ET AL 3,568,479

PIN AND TAB LOCKING DEVICE FCR CLOTHING AND THD LIKE Filed NOV. 5, 1969 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVENTORS Lou/'s 5. Fleck Thomas H. Sprar @@mwpw THE/R ATTORNEYS March 9, 1971 s. FLEcK ET AL l 3,568,479

FIN AND TAB LOCKING DEVICE FOR CLOTHING AND THE LIKE Louis 5. Fleck 23 43 Thomas H. Spraft 5 Ymj/@w fri/4% THE/? ATTOHNE YS United States Patent O 3,568,479 PIN AND TAB LOCKING DEVICE FOR CLOTHING AND THE LIKE Louis S. Fleck, 136 Lee St., and Thomas H. Spratt, 418 th Ave., both of Carnegie, Pa. 15106 Filed Nov. 5, 1969, Ser. No. 874,110 Int. Cl. E05b 69/00, 73/02 U.S. Cl. 70-59 17 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A compact locking unit is provided whose housing is adapted to removably-receive a latch pin or key plug and a key tab. The key tab is retained in a locked relation within the housing as long as the key plug is in a removed or outer position, and the latch plug is retained in a locked and coat or other article-retaining position through the agency of a chain connection to the unit as long as the key tab is removed and until it is again inserted in the housing. When the key tab and the key plug are in position in the housing, the key plug may be removed therefrom by pushing-in a spring-pressed manual button. The key tab may be removed when the key plug is in position by merely lifting it out of the housing. It is necessary to use a key tab having requisite aligned openings therethrough corresponding to those in a `back operating plate member for the housing. The latching of the plug is accomplished yby means of a reduced diameter portion thereof being engaged by a projecting wing portion of a centrally-disposed operating partition member within the housing. To release the plug, it is necessary to move the wing portion backwardly out of engagement within the reduced diameter portion, and this cannot be accomplished without introducing the key tab in a position such that it, in effect, serves as a position support backing for the partition member, while permitting backwardlyextending pins carried by such operating member to move in alignment with holes in the key tab and the back operating plate member.

The invention relates to a compact unit or device that may be employed for retaining an article of clothing, such as a coat, in position on a rack or hanger at a restaurant or other public gathering place and particularly, to a locking device that gives a measure of protection to an article of clothing left in a semi-public place. A phase of the invention relates to an improved relatively simple but practical latch pin or key plug utilizing locking device that will be foolproof in its simplified type of operation.

Although there have been 'many locking devices constructed throughout the years, none have been of a type that has been practical for employment in restaurants, public halls and other places for giving a measure of protection to garments including top coats, rain coats, etc. that are to be temporarily stored on a hanger or other form of rack. As a result, the owner of a coat, for example, has to more or less trust to luck that his coat will not be deliberately or mistakenly taken by another person when he places it on a hanger and removes himself to a place that is remote thereto.

In investigating the problem and the inability of those skilled in the art to devise a unit or device that will be practical as well as eicient in meeting the problem, it was determined that the prior devices have all been either too complicated or have not been fully foolproof such as to make them acceptable to the owner of a restaurant, hotel, etc. It was further determined that a device for this purpose should be relatively inexpensive, simple in construction and operation, so that a person ice will need little or no instruction in its utilization. It further should have some type of key means that will be distinctive from a standard key and that can be easily located in the pocket or purse by the owner of the garment to unlock and permit quick removal of the garment.

It has thus been an object of the invention to provide a solution to the problem involved from the standpoint of the provision of a relatively inexpensive, but practical and simple type of unit that may be securely mounted in position, either on a rack retained type of hanger or on a removable hanger per se;

Another object has been to develop a device that will give some measure of protection in the sense of serving as a detriment to a mistakenly removed garment and from the standpoint of providing a sutlicient obstacle to discourage a thief until the rightful owner claims it;

Another object of the invention has been to provide a device that will eliminate the need for having checking attendants at the place of storing of outer garments;

A further object of the invention has been to develop a latch or key plug and key tab type of device which may be simply operated to release the plug by a push button when the key tab is inserted;

A further object of the invention has been to develop a relatively compact, simple and inexpensive but practical and etlicient latching device that is particularly adaptable for usage in connection with the securing of outer garments or articles of clothing such as coats.

These and other objects of the invention will appear to those skilled in the art from the illustrated embodiment of the drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. l is a reduced front view in elevation showing a device constructed in accordance with the invention secured in a mounted relation on a clothes or garment hanger that is slidably-positioned on a support rod carried by a clothes rack;

FIG. 2 is an end view on the same scale and of the structure shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front isometric view in elevation illustrating a complete unit or device with its latch plug in a latched or locked position therein and a constructed in accordance with the invention; this view is drawn to the scale of a prototype of the device; FIG. 4 is a back side view of the device of FIG. 3 with its operating partition mmeber, its back end members, its key tab, key plug and the connecting chain removed and with its operating chamber exposed; this View is taken along line IV--IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an end view in elevation on the scale of and taken along line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is an end section on the scale of and taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a front section in elevation on the scale of and taken along the line VII-VII of FIG. 5, illustrating internal operating parts that are positioned within the housing and showing their relative operating positions before a latch or key plug is inserted;

FIG. 8 is an exploded view in elevation on the scale of FIGS. 3 to 7, inclusive, illustrating various parts of the device and their order of mounting with respect to the housing;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged end section in elevation showing the unit or device in a starting or initial position wherein the latch or key plug is in a latched position within the housing and the key tab is in an unlocked, removable position within the housing;

FIG. 10 is a front side fragmental section in elevation taken along the line X-X 0f FIG. 9;

FIG. ll is an end section in elevation on the scale of and similar to FIG. 9, but showing the relationship ofthe operating parts after push button means has been moved 3 pushed-in to release the latch or key plug and lock the key tab in position;

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. l0 taken along line XII-XII of FIG.11 and illustrating the same relationship of operating parts; and

FIG. 13 is a view on the scale of and similar to FIGS. 9 and 11, but illustrating the position of the operating parts when the latch or key plug has been fully locked in position by removing the key card, as may occur when a garment is to be secured in position on a hanger by the owner thereof.

Locking device or unit 10, as illustrated particularly in FIGS. 3 and 8, has an enclosing housing 11 of substantially rectangular shape 'whose hollow central operating chamber portion A is open to its back end to receive working parts, including a cam and key pin-carrying operating or partition part or plate member 20, a back operating plate or position-limit wall member 35, and a solid outer closure wall member 37. The housing of casing 11 has a central, through-extending, bypassing, circular hole portion 11b in its thickened front wall through which a stem 21 of the part 20 is adapted to sildably-extend forwardly. The hole portion 11b represents a back extension of an enlarged, circular front window or hole portion 11a that is adapted to position a spiral tension spring 26 therein between a front abutment wall portion 11c of reduced thickness and an operating knob 25. The knob 25, as shown particularly in FIG. 8. has a threaded bore 25a for removably-mounting it on threaded front end portion 21a of the stem 21 to operatively-position the part 20 within the chamber A of the housing 11. The outer end of the spring 26 is adapted to seat in an annular or circular recess portion 2511 in the knob 25.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 4, 7 and 10, the housing 11 has a centrally-positioned, backwardly-open, vertical latching slot portion 11e that is open to the chamber A and 'which bypasses the stem 21 adjacent the hole 11b. The width of the slot 11e corresponds, with slight clearance, to the thickness or 'width of a projecting Iwing portion having a pair of aligned, rectangular-shaped, vertical, top and bottom, lugs or wings 22 and 23 that project vertically in an aligned relation from the stem 21 along the front face of the operating member or part 20. Spiral tension spring 26 normally resiliently-urges the stem 21 forwardly and thus the wings 22 and 23 into a slid-in position with respect to the vertical slot 11e and in such a manner that the upper wing 22 serves as an interfering means with respect to latch pin or key plug 40 -when it is being inserted within the housing 11. The upper wing 22 has a beveled or oblique front edge portion 22a which serves as a cam face from the standpoint of a beveled head end portion 40b of the latch pin or plug 40 whereby the operating part 20 may be moved rbackwardly against the resiliency of the spring 26 when the portion 22a is J engaged by the head 40b on pushing the latch or key plug 40 within one side of the housing 11 along a transverse entrance bore hole 11g.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 3, 4 and 7, the housing 11 which may be of any suitable material such as of a metal or resin and may be formed as a unitary piece with backwardly-open rectangular operating chamber A, has a relatively thick front wall. This front wall, not only has a suicient thickness to provide the abutment wall 11e` for the spiral spring 26, but also to provide the vertical latching slot 11e and crossextending operating bore holes 11]c and 11g. It will be noted that the entrance bore hole 11g is of smaller diameter than the bore hole 11i, but that they are in axial alignment with each other and are both open to the vertical latching slot portion 11e. The

larger bore hole llf is closed, as shown in FIG. 4, at its one end by a plug 11h and terminates on the other side of the vertical slot portion 11e to receive a oating or slidable pinlike element 15 and a spiral tension spring 16 therein. As shown in FIG. 4, the spring 16 normally resiliently urges the pin element towards the end Wall representing the smaller bore 11g in such a manner as to close-off or extend across the vertical slot 11e. Engagement of beveled edge 22a of the wing 22 by the oating pin 15 prevents the operating member 20 from moving fonwardly into a latching position within vertical slot portion 11e.

When the key plug 40 is inserted endwise within the entrance bore hole 11g, as shown particularly in FIGS. 9 and 10, it presses against the forward end of the pin element 15 to move it backwardly fully within the enlarged bore portion 11i, to thereby compress the spring 16 and permit a forward beveled plunger or head end portion 4011 to move beyond and clear the vertical slot 11e. This results in a reduced, latching or connecting stem portion 40C of the key plug 40 being positioned in alignment with the slot 11e. It will be noted that the portion 40e connects the head portion 40b with a main body portion 40e; The portions 40a and 40 b are both of cylindrical shape to slide within the bore 11g. The top or upper wing 22 of the operating part 20 will now be moved further forwardly to its forward-most position by the spring 26 to effectively extend behind head or plunger portion 4011 and lock or latch the key plug 40 within the housing 11. At this time. as shown in FIG. 13, the key tab 30 may be removed from its then unlocked position within the housing 11 to thereby make it impossible to release the key plug 40 by pushing-in the element 25 against the resiliency of the spring 26. That is, the operating member must have an abutment which is provided by the key tab 30 when it is pushed-back by the push button element in order to effect a release of the latch or key plug 40.

The requisite amount of backward movement of the operating member 20 can only be obtained when the key tab has a group of keyholes 31 that accurately align with a group of spaced-apart backwardly-projecting key pin elements 24 carried by the operating part 20 (see FIG. 8). At the same time, the back plate or position-limit wall member must also have a group of keyholes 36 that align with the key pins 24 and into which holes such key pins project when the operating part 20 is released by pushing-in the knob elements 25. At this time, the key plug will be resiliently pushed or moved endwiseoutwardly out of the housing 11 by the action of the previously-compressed spring 16 and its cooperating sliding pin element 15.

Like the casing 11, the other parts of the construction of the device 10 may be of resin or metal material with the key plug 40 and chain 42 preferably being of metal construction to give them additional strength. The back keyhole-carrying part or wall member 35 is adapted, as shown in FIGS. 8, 9, ll and 13, to slidably-interfit in a complementary manner from the standpoint of its backwardly-inwardly declining top and bottom edges with an inner, sloped, cross-extending guide portions a in transversely-extending, top and bottom, rear anges 12 and 12 of the housing 11. In a like manner, back closure plate or wall member 37 has backwardly-inwardly declining top and bottom edges which have a complementary slide tit with outer guide rail portions b of the top and bottom flanges 12 and 12. The parts or members 35 and 37 may be secured in position in any suitable manner as by cementing, by welding or by set screw means.

The key tab 30 which is of relatively thin thickness and of lightweight construction is adapted to be inserted in the housing 11 through a top, cross-extending slit or hole lid and is guided in its inner and outer movements by the head of a dog or guide lug element that is pivotallymounted at 46 on one of a pair of opposite, backwardlyextending side wall portions 13 and 13' of the housing 11. The dog or lug 45, its pin 46 and a small spiral spring 47 are all positioned within a backwardly-open, offset or inset or depressed portion 13b in the wall 13', so as to not interfere with the positioning of the back operating member in abutment with the back faces of the side wall portions 13 and 13'. The spring-pressed lug 45 contacts on side edge of and assures that the key tab 30` smoothly moves in an aligned relation within the slot 11d, along a pair of vertical guide recess portions or guide edges 13a and 13a', in the back end of the housing 11 to fully align its group of key holes 31 with backwardly-projectlng key pins 24 of the operating part 20; it prevents the key tab 30 from becoming jammed and provides it with a positive smooth-acting in-and-out movement with respect to the housing 11.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 8, a flexible connecting means, such as a metal chain or the like 42, is shown connected at one end by a loop 42a to a attened, eyelet providing, outer end portion 41 of the key or latch plug and, at its other end, by means of a loop 42b to an eyelet 43 that is secured to project from a bottom side wall of the housing 11. Thus, the chain 42 may be looped through a sleeve or a hanging tab of a coat or other garment that is to be placed on a hanger 50 while the owner is attending a meeting or eating a meal. When the key tab 30 s inserted through elongated slot 11d in the top wall of the housing 11, it slides-down in a gu1ded relation between inner guide edges 13a and 13a of the slde wall portions 13 and 13', and is additionally guided in a resilient manner by the spring pressed lug element 45; it is limited in its maximum downward insertion by the bottom wall of the housing 11. It will be noted that the key tab 30 is inserted behind the operating or partition member 20 and the back operating wall member 35.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are illustrative of one manner of utilizing a device or unit of the invention. In this connection, the unit 10 is shown securely or permanently mounted on an upper yoke or shoulder portion a of a substantially conventional coat hanger 50. 'Ihis particular type of hanger 50 has a mounting tab portion 50b whose eye 1s adapted to be slidably-mounted on an extending rod or rail 51 of a conventional coat or garment rack. Thus, when a coat 52 is placed by the owner on the hanger 50, the key or latch plug 40 may be removed from the housing 11 by him and looped or threaded through a hanger tab or a sleeve of the coat 52 in such a manner that the chain 42 serves as a loop that is closed by reinsertion of the key plug 40 within the housing 11 of the unit. At this time, the owner may then remove the key tab 30 and proceed to eat his meal with a sense of well being without worry. When he has finished his meal he may then insert the key tab 30 which was placed in a side pocket of his suit and push in the button 25 to release the key plug 40 and thus, open the chain loop to permit the removal of the garment from the hanger 50. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the unit 10 may be mounted directly on a clothes rack adjacent a removable hanger or even directly on a removable hanger, in that anyone attempting to take a coat which has been locked in position by the chain loop on a hanger will be in the awkward position of having to take the hanger along with the coat.

We claim:

1. In a compact and relatively simple locking device for securing a garment with respect to a hanger frame, a housing adapted to be secured on the hanger frame, a key plug connected to said housing by a flexible connecting means, whereby said connecting means may be looped through an open portion of the garment to be secured, said housing having means for removably-receiving said key plug endwise therewithin, an operating member within said housing having means for movement into and out of latching engagement with said key plug when it is positioned within said housing, means operatively-associated with said housing for resiliently-urging said operating member towards a key plug latching position within said housing, said operating member having key pins extending therefrom a key tab adapted to be inserted into and removed from said housing and into and out of an aligned relation with said key pins, means for moving said operating member out of latching engagement with said key plug when said key tab is inserted in an aligned relation with said key pins, said key tab in its aligned relation having means cooperating with said key pins for positivelyretaining said key tab within said housing when said key plug is removed therefrom and for releasing said key tab when said key plug is inserted and said operating member is in latching engagement therewith.

2. In a locking device as defined in claim 1, said means for moving said operating member comprising a push button.

3. In a locking device as dened in claim 2, said operating means having a projecting stem, said push button being mounted on said stem, and spring means mounted to urge said stem forwardly towards locking engagement with said key plug.

4. In a locking device as defined in claim 1, a bore hole portion extending through a side wall of said housing along a front wall thereof for receiving said key plug therein, a vertical slot in the front wall extending across said bore hole portion and open backwardly to receive said operating member, said key plug having a front head portion and a back body portion of a diameter substantially corresponding to the diameter of said bore hole portion for sliding movement therealong, and said key plug having a connecting portion of reduced diameter between said front and back portions within which said operating member is adapted to engage for holding said key plug in latching engagement within said housing.

5. In a locking device as defined in claim 1, said key plug having a latching portion of reduced diameter thereon, and said operating member having a projecting winglike portion for engagement within said latching portion of reduced diameter for holding said key plug in latching engagement within said housing.

6. In a locking device as defined in claim 5, push button means resiliently urging said operating means towards latching engagement with said key plug within said housing and adapted, on the application of opposite manual pressure, to move said operating means out of latching engagement with said key plug.

7. In a locking device as dened in claim 1, said key tab having a group of hole portions therethrough that are in alignment with and are adapted to bypass said key pins during operating movement of said operating member.

8. In a locking device as defined in claim .1, a back member extending across said housing in a position adjacent said key tab when it is inserted therein, said key tab and said back member each having a group of cooperatively-aligned hole portions therethrough to bypass said key pins, and said back member being constructed to serve as a back limit member for positioning said key tab within said housing and to define a slide guide for said key tab during its insertion and removal from said housing.

9. In a compact and relatively simple locking device for securing a garment with respect to a hanger frame, a housing having a backwardly-open operating chamber defined by a front wall, a pair of top and bottom walls and a pair of side walls; a bypass hole portion open substantially centrally through said front wall and surmounted at its front end by an enlarged frontwardly-open window portion that defines an abutment wall at its back end about said bypass hole portion, a backwardly-open vertical slot portion extending along a back side of said front wall and across a back end of said bypass hole portion, an operating partition member having a forwardlyextending stern and a front wing-like projecting portion extending vertically on its front face adjacent a back end of said stem, said partition member being positioned within said operating chamber for back and forth sliding movement therein to move said projecting portion into and out of said vertical slot portion, said partition having a group of backwardly-projecting spaced-apart key pins, a substantially planar key tab for unlocking the device,

said key tab having a group of holes therethrough in a spaced-apart relation corresponding to the spaced-apart relation of said key pins, a cross-extending open slot portion through said top wall adjacent a back end of said chamber defining with said side walls a guideway for in and out vertical movement of said key tab, a first spiral spring, said stem being adapted to extend forwardly through said bypass hole and receive said spiral spring thereon, a push button secured on a front end portion of said stem to hold said spring in compression against said abutment wall, said spring being operatively-positioned to resiliently urge said partition forwardly within said operating chamber and its said wing-like projecting portion into said vertical slot portion, a position-limit back wall member fixedly-mounted in a back end of said housing, said position-limit back wall member having a group of holes therein in a spaced-apart relation corresponding to the group of holes in said key tab to receive said key pins which said push button is operated to compress said spiral spring and move said partition to a maximum backward position within said operating chamber, a back closure wall member for said housing positioned behind said position-limit back wall member, an entrance bore hole portion open and extending from one of said side walls along said front wall and terminating in alignment with said vertical slot portion, a larger bore hole portion open to and extending from the inner end of said entrance bore hole portion along said front wall across said vertical slot portion and terminating therewithin behind and in a closed-off relation with the opposite side wall, an elongated key plug having a main body and a plunger end portion of substantially the same diameter as said entrance bore hole portion for sliding movement therealong, said key plug having a connecting portion of reduced diameter between said main body and plunger end portion that defines a latch portion for receiving said winglike projecting portion of said partition member therein to latch-retain said key plug within said housing, and a chain secured at one end to said housing and at its other end to a front end of said key plug for defining a closed loop on said housing when said key plug is in a latched position within said housing.

10. In a locking device as defined in claim 9, a slide pin operatively-positioned for back and forth movement within said enlarged bore hole portion, and a second spiral spring between the closed end of said enlarged bore hole portion and said slide pin for urging said slide pin forwardly across said vertical slot portion into abutment with the inner end of said entrance bore hole portion and for resiliently-resisting movement of said key plug forwardly 'y within said bore hole portions and, when said connecting portion of said key plug is released from said wing-like projecting portion, for forcibly moving said key plug out of said entrance bore hole portion.

11. In a locking device as defined in claim 10, said vertical slot having a sufiicient depth when said connecting portion is in a latched relation with respect to said winglike projecting portion for said key pins to clear said group of hole portions in said key tab, whereby said key tab may be removed from said housing when said key plug is in a latched position within said housing.

12. In a locking device as defined in claim 10, said 8 front wing-like projecting portion haivng a pair of aligned upper and lower wings extending from opposite vertical sides of said stern, and said upper Wing having an upper beveled edge for bypassing said slide pin when said pin is moved by said second spring forwardly into abutment with the inner end of said entrance bore hole portion.

13. In a locking device as defined in claim 10, means operatively-associated with one of said side walls for resiliently-guiding and aligning said key tab during its in and out movement with respect to said housing.

14. In a locking device as defined in claim 13, said means for aligning said key tab comprising: a recess in said one side wall, a guide lug pivotally-mounted in said recess, and a spring operatively-mounted in said recess and engaging said pivoted lug for resiliently-urging it outwardly towards said operating chamber into engagement with a side edge portion of said key tab when said key tab is inserted within said housing.

15. In a locking device as defined in claim 10, said pair of top and bottom walls having top and bottom anges that project backwardly beyond said pair of side walls, inner and outer pairs of top and bottom guide portions along said anges, and said position limit-back wall member having top and bottom edge portions cooperating with said inner pair of guide portions for mounting it within said housing, and said back closure wall member having top and bottom edge portions cooperating with said outer pair of guide portions for mounting it in a closing-od relation with rspect to said housing.

16. ln a locking device as defined in claim 10, said wing-like projecting portion comprising: an upper wing and a lower wing extending in a vertically-aligned relation from opposite sides of the back end portion of said stem to substantially fill said vertical slot portion when said partition member is in a maximum forward position within the operating chamber of said housing.

17. In a locking device as defined in claim 10, the forward end of said push button having a diameter substantially corresopnding to the diameter of said frontwardlyopen Window portion, and said first spiral spring being operatively-positioned on said stern between said abutment wall and said push button, whereby said push button -may be moved inwardly against the resiliency of said first spiral spring within said window portion to move said partition member backwardly within said operating chamber of said housing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 51,524 12/1865 Trimble 70-59 868,041 10/1907 Viel 211-8 1,373,112 3/1921 Backus 211-9 1,661,516 3/1928 Vineberg 70-59X 1,800,873 4/1931 Reinhold '70-59 3,378,144 4/1968 Webster 211-4 STEPHEN I. NOVOSAD, Primary Examiner E. J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 211-4 'Egyggg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0F CORRECTION yatent No. 3.568.109 Dated March 9, 1971 Inventor-(8) Lggis S. Fleck and Thomas H. Spratt It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line .1 change "a" to as.

line 19, change "LpOe" to --ltOa-A; line 68, 11d- Column L, change "lid" to Column 7, line 19, .change "which" to when.

Signed and sealed this 13th day of July 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FIETGHER,JR. Attesting Officer WILLIAM E. SGHUYLER, JR. Commissioner of Patents 

